Could You Battle The Blues With Botox?

Botox is an effective treatment for all sorts of things, from sweating, to muscle disorders, and most popularly, to minimizing the appearance of wrinkles such as frown lines. Is it possible that they could also treat the frowns themselves? Researchers at the Chevy Chase Cosmetic Centre in Maryland suggest that Botox could be used to treat depression.

A new study suggests it's possible.

According to a story in Time Magazine, the study's researchers have found correlations between our outward physical expressions and how they effect us on an emotional level. The idea isn't a new one; Charles Darwin connected frown muscles to feelings of melancholy, and dubbed the muscles "grief muscles."

“We feel sorry because we cry; we feel angry because we strike [out], and not vice versa,” said Dr. Eric Finzi, medical director of the Chevy Chase Cosmetic Center.

The study looked at 84 participants, all of whom had severe clinical depression for a period of an average of two years. Some participants received injections of Botox, while the remainder were given a placebo. Up to six weeks later, all the participants were assessed. Over a quarter of those who received Botox reported a near complete remission of their symptoms of depression. Only seven per cent of the control group reported such results.

Does this mean Botox should be used as a treatment for clinical depression? Well, not yet. These initial findings are promising, but they're still preliminary findings. More research will have to be conducted before psychiatrists start prescribing Botox.

However, feeling good about your outside appearance can have a positive effect on how you feel about yourself, and if Botox is what your cosmetic surgeon recommends for treatment of frown lines or forehead wrinkles, well, you'll be killing two birds with one stone! Seek out a professional consultation to find out if Botox is just the thing you need to turn that frown upside down (or at least smooth it out a little).